The present invention relates to vehicle repair service and vehicle diagnostics. As modern vehicles become more sophisticated, vehicle repairs have also become more sophisticated and expensive. Generally, a repair technician will try to diagnose and fix a vehicle problem according to his/her own experience and the large volume of published technical resources available to him/her. Often, the technician will be challenged to find the appropriate information or will attempt the repair based solely on his/her personal experience. This method may lead to inconsistent or inaccurate diagnosis and repair of vehicle problems.
Similar vehicles may develop similar customer concerns. However, the root cause of these concerns may not be discovered in time to be included in published technical resources or the technician may consider these concerns so typical that he/she does not consult the published information. Furthermore, the volume of available published information may make it difficult for the technician to use, search and/or interpret this information. Locating and using the most appropriate information is essential to a swift and accurate diagnosis of vehicle problems. It is also desirable for a vehicle manufacturer to receive information about customer concerns and vehicle repairs to help identify product issues and take proactive measures.
Therefore, there is a need for an improved vehicle diagnostic system to increase the technician's efficiency in the repair and diagnosis process. Also, there is a need for a vehicle diagnostic system that tracks vehicle repairs and instructs the repair technician on how to operate in the best manner accordingly. Furthermore, there is a need for a vehicle diagnostic system that automates relevant diagnostic information gathering by the vehicle manufacturer.